Passage

Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 18 is the prophet's chapter-long demolition of a fatalist proverb circulating among the Babylonian exiles: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." The exiles read their suffering as God punishing them for ancestral sin and concluded that their own moral choices did not matter. The LORD answers through Ezekiel with one of the strongest scriptural statements of individual moral responsibility in the Hebrew Bible: each soul is His, each is judged on its own conduct, and the righteous son does not die for the wicked father, nor the wicked son live on his righteous father's account. The chapter closes with a divine appeal that pierces every Calvinist-Arminian quarrel over reprobation: "I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord GOD; turn, then, and live."

Key verses

v. 4 "Behold, all souls are mine... the soul that sinneth, it shall die."
v. 20 "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son."
v. 23 "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Jehovah; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?"
v. 32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth... wherefore turn yourselves, and live."

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. The word of Jehovah came unto me again, saying, 2. What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? 3. As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. 4. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. 5. But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, 6. and hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbor's wife, neither hath come near to a woman in her impurity, 7. and hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 8. he that hath not given forth upon interest, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true justice between man and man, 9. hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept mine ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord Jehovah. 10. If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things, 11. and that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife, 12. hath wronged the poor and needy, hath taken by robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, 13. hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. 14. Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins, which he hath done, and feareth, and doeth not such like; 15. that hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbor's wife, 16. neither hath wronged any, hath not taken aught to pledge, neither hath taken by robbery, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 17. that hath withdrawn his hand from the poor, that hath not received interest nor increase, hath executed mine ordinances, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity. 19. Yet say ye, Wherefore doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. 20. The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21. But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22. None of his transgressions that he hath committed shall be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Jehovah; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live? 24. But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he hath done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 25. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26. When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth therein; in his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 29. Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? 30. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Return ye, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31. Cast away from you all your transgressions, wherein ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah: wherefore turn yourselves, and live." (Ezekiel 18:1-32, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying, 2. “What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3. “As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel. 4. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins, he shall die. 5. “But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right, 6. and has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbor’s wife, neither has come near to a woman in her impurity, 7. and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; 8. he who has not lent on interest, neither has taken any increase, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man, 9. has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live,” says the Lord Yahweh. 10. “If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things, 11. or who does not do any of those things, but even has eaten at the mountain shrines, and defiled his neighbor’s wife, 12. has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination, 13. has lent on interest, and has taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood shall be on him. 14. “Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father’s sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like; 15. who has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor’s wife, 16. neither has wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, neither has taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; 17. who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest nor increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity. 19. “Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live. 20. The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him. 21. “But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 22. None of his transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live. 23. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh; “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live? 24. “But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die. 25. “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal? 26. When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies therein; in his iniquity that he has done shall he die. 27. Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28. Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 29. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair? 30. “Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31. Cast away from you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel? 32. For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!" (Ezekiel 18:1-32, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 2. What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? 3. As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. 4. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. 5. But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, ^{that: Heb. judgment and justice} 6. And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, 7. And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 8. He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, 9. Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD. 10. If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, ^{robber: or, breaker up of an house} ^{that doeth: or, that doeth to his brother besides any of these} 11. And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife, 12. Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, 13. Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. ^{blood: Heb. bloods} 14. Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, 15. That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, 16. Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, ^{hath not: Heb. hath not pledged the pledge, or, taken to pledge} 17. That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity. 19. Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. 20. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? 24. But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 25. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 29. Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? 30. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. ^{yourselves: or, others} 31. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. ^{yourselves: or, others}" (Ezekiel 18:1-32, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. 'And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying: 2. 'What, to you, ye, using this simile Concerning the ground of Israel, saying: Fathers do eat unripe fruit, And the sons' teeth are blunted? 3. I live, an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Ye have no more the use of this simile in Israel. 4. Lo, all the souls are Mine, As the soul of the father, So also the soul of the son, they are Mine, The soul that is sinning, it doth die. 5. And a man, when he is righteous, And hath done judgment and righteousness, 6. On the mountains he hath not eaten, And his eyes he hath not lifted up Unto idols of the house of Israel, And the wife of his neighbour defiled not, And to a separated woman cometh not near, 7. A man, he doth not oppress, His pledge to the debtor he doth return, Plunder he doth not take away, His bread to the hungry he doth give, And the naked doth cover with a garment, 8. In usury he doth not give, and increase taketh not, From perversity he turneth back his hand, True judgment he doth between man and man. 9. In My statutes he doth walk, And My judgments he hath kept, to deal truly, Righteous [is] he, he surely liveth, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah. 10. And, he hath begotten a son, A burglar, a shedder of blood, And he hath made a brother of one of these, 11. And he all those hath not done, For even on the mountains he hath eaten, And the wife of his neighbour he hath defiled, 12. The afflicted and needy he hath oppressed, Plunder he hath taken violently away, A pledge he doth not return, And unto the idols he hath lifted up his eyes, Abomination he hath done! 13. In usury he hath given, and increase taken, And he liveth: he doth not live, All these abominations he hath done, He doth surely die, his blood is on him. 14. And, lo, he hath begotten a son, And he seeth all the sins of his father, That he hath done, and he feareth, And doth not do like them, 15. On the mountains he hath not eaten, And his eyes he hath not lifted up Unto idols of the house of Israel, The wife of his neighbour he hath not defiled, 16. A man, he hath not oppressed, A pledge he hath not bound, And plunder he hath not taken away, His bread to the hungry he hath given, And the naked he covered with a garment, 17. From the afflicted he hath turned back his hand, Usury and increase he hath not taken, My judgments he hath done, In My statutes he hath walked, He doth not die for the iniquity of his father, He doth surely live. 18. His father, because he used oppression, Did violently Plunder a brother, And that which [is] not good did in the midst of his people, And lo, he is dying in his iniquity. 19. And ye have said, Wherefore hath not the son, Borne of the iniquity of the father? And, the son judgment and righteousness hath done, All My statutes he hath kept, And he doeth them, he surely liveth. 20. The soul that doth sin, it doth die. A son doth not bear of the iniquity of the father, And a father doth not bear of the iniquity of the son, The righteousness of the righteous is on him, And the wickedness of the wicked is on him. 21. And the wicked, when he turneth back From all his sins that he hath done, And he hath kept all My statutes, And hath done judgment and righteousness, He doth surely live, he doth not die. 22. All his transgressions that he hath done Are not remembered to him, In his righteousness that he hath done he liveth. 23. Do I at all desire the death of the wicked? An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Is it not in his turning back from his way, And he hath lived? 24. And in the turning back of the righteous from his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, According to all the abominations That the wicked hath done, he doth, thus he liveth, All his righteousnesses that he hath done are not remembered, For his trespass that he hath trespassed, And for his sin that he hath sinned, For them he doth die. 25. And ye have said, Not pondered is the way of the Lord. Hear, I pray you, O house of Israel, My way, is it not pondered? Are not your ways unpondered? 26. In the turning back of the righteous from his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, And he is dying by them, for his perversity That he hath done he dieth. 27. And in the turning back of the wicked From his wickedness that he hath done, And he doth judgment and righteousness, He his soul doth keep alive. 28. And he seeth and turneth back, From all his transgressions that he hath done, He doth surely live, he doth not die, 29. And the house of Israel have said, Not pondered is the way of the Lord, My ways, are they not pondered? O house of Israel, are not your ways unpondered? 30. Therefore, each according to his ways I judge you, O house of Israel? An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Turn ye back, yea, turn yourselves back, From all your transgressions, And iniquity is not to you for a stumbling-block, 31. Cast from off you all your transgressions, By which ye have transgressed, And make to you a new heart, and a new spirit, And why do ye die, O house of Israel? 32. For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, And turn ye back and live!" (Ezekiel 18:1-32, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Ezekiel the priest plus direct LORD discourse through him
Audience: Judean exiles in Babylonia, despairing of personal moral agency
Location: Tel Abib by the Chebar canal, the exilic settlement
Time period: Ezekiel's ministry c. 593-571 BC, this oracle likely between the first deportation (597 BC) and the temple's fall (586 BC)

Theological reading

The chapter is a frontal answer to a theodicy problem the exiles had inherited from Exodus 20:5, "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation." The Israelites read that as transferable individual guilt: ancestral sin doomed the children. Ezekiel responds with what is sometimes called the "Ezekielian shift," not denying intergenerational consequences but denying intergenerational moral imputation. Your father's idolatry shapes your environment; it does not transfer your moral verdict. Each soul is judged on its own choices. The parallel in Deuteronomy 24:16 already legislated this for human courts ("the fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers"); Ezek 18 lifts the same principle to divine judgment.

For apologetic purposes, the chapter dismantles the common "the biblical God punishes children for their parents' sin" objection. Exodus 20:5's "visiting" refers to the natural propagation of sin's consequences through families and societies (corrupt parents typically raise corrupt children), not legal imputation. Where imputation is in view (judgment), Ezekiel makes the rule explicit: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. The objector must reckon with both texts at once.

The doctrinal payload runs further. Verses 21-24 establish that righteousness and wickedness are not biographical traits but present-tense orientations: the wicked who turns lives, the righteous who turns away dies. This complicates simple imputational soteriology and grounds the prophetic call to repentance as the universal hinge of moral life. Verses 30-32 are the LORD's own evangelistic appeal: "Cast away all your transgressions... make you a new heart and a new spirit... turn yourselves, and live." Jeremiah 31's new covenant promise of a new heart picks up exactly this thread.

Key words

H5315 - nephesh, nephesh (Strong's H5315), soul / life, "all souls are mine."
H4191 - mut, mut (Strong's H4191), to die, the verbal repetition that drives the chapter.
H5771 - avon, avon (Strong's H5771), iniquity, the technical term in "bear the iniquity of the father."
H7725 - shuv, shuv (Strong's H7725), to turn / return, the verb of repentance, twelve occurrences in this chapter.
H3068 - YHWH, YHWH (Strong's H3068), the divine name attached to every formula of judgment and mercy here.

Theological themes

Individual moral responsibility. Each soul is judged on its own conduct, not on its lineage.
Repentance as live option. The wicked who turns lives; the righteous who turns away dies.
Divine non-pleasure in death. God's stated will is the sinner's return, not his destruction.
Resolution of Exodus 20:5. "Visiting" denotes consequence-propagation, not transferred legal guilt.
New heart anticipation. v. 31's "make you a new heart" prefigures Ezekiel 36 and Jeremiah 31's new-covenant gift.

Cross-references

Exodus 20.5, the "visiting iniquity" text Ezekiel 18 clarifies.
Deuteronomy 24.16, the parallel ban on intergenerational judicial punishment.
Jeremiah 31.29-30, Jeremiah's parallel rejection of the sour-grapes proverb.
Jeremiah 31.31-34, the new covenant of internalized law, fulfilling Ezek 18:31.
Romans 1.20, adult human moral accountability under general revelation.

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.